Students forced to change after wearing pro-LGBT t-shirts to school
The students were told their pro-LGBT+ t-shirts were in violation of the school’s dress code. (WYMT)
Several students from Martin County High School in Kentucky were forced to change clothes after wearing pro-LGBT+ t-shirts to school to support the queer community.
Martin County student Lilly Vance told WYMT that those wearing the t-shirts on Thursday, August 22, were told they were in violation of the school’s dress code, while another claimed students were suspended.
Another student, Madison Harless, posted the school’s dress code on social media, which prohibits “obscene or drug-related” clothing, and wrote: “Tell me where in this dress code that it states students can not wear a shirt that represents their sexuality.
“Two kids were suspended for wearing a shirt that stated ‘transgender’ and ‘lesbian’. While one of my good friends was demanded to remove his shirt for it simply saying ‘queer’… It is wrong to disrupt a kid from learning simply because they are embracing who they are.
“These kids can not express themselves and are isolated by our school because being different is ‘wrong’.”
Vance told WYMT: “Kids wear political shirts. They wear Confederate flag shirts. I just don’t understand what’s so wrong with wearing gay pride shirts.
“Nothing we’re doing is wrong. All we are doing is expressing who we are.”
Students say they want the school to be a “safe space”. (Envato)
The school district superintendent said the dress code “miscommunication” was “resolved”.
Vance wrote on Facebook: “All my fellow students and teachers want is for Martin County High School to be a safe space for everyone no matter their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion etc.
“We felt as a student body that this was an issue that needed to be talked about and I’m so proud of each individual person that I talked to that was affected by this and who wanted to speak up but couldn’t.
“This was not just about LGBTQ+ students, this was about any one who’s ever been discriminated against by a school in eastern Kentucky. You can speak up and you will be heard.”
Superintendent of Martin County school district Larry James told WYMT: “Any miscommunication has been resolved. We definitely do not want any of our students to feel like they are discriminated against.”
Earlier this month, a LGBT+ student in Alabama wore a tuxedo instead of a dress for her high-school photo and was left out of her senior yearbook.
